The First
by akanesesu
Summary: A movie scene birthed Inami's feelings of taking her relationship to the next level. But can Takanashi do it? Or will he remain the same old 'kawaiimonozuki' boy?
1. Butterflies in my stomach

Butterflies in my stomach

It's been four months since they were dating each other. But nothing memorable happened ever since that moonlit night when Takanashi confessed his feelings for Mahiru. "It's almost as if we're couple paradiso" wondered Inami as she sat next to her beloved boyfriend watching a romantic movie at a multiplex. As she saw a boy sitting in the row above slide his hand across the shoulder of his girlfriend, she too wished for the same to happen to her.

 _"But I guess not!"_ she thought with a dead pan expression on her face as she stared at her boyfriend who was in a trance like state enjoying the sight of a young girl running after a puppy.

 _"I guess I can't expect anything from a sixteen year old boy who considers anyone above the age of 12 as senescent"_

But somehow she thought that maybe it was fine. She liked the way he was because he accepted her for what she was. As the movie ended, she saw the would-be lovers embrace and kiss. As she saw the last scene she imagined herself and Takanashi in the same position.

 _"Aree…did I just imagine that?_ "

After the movie ended, Takanashi commented on how good a movie it was to which she simply sat glued on her seat with a lost expression on her face. Her boyfriend repeated the same question to which she did not reply and he spoke up "Inami san, Inami san". Breaking out of her melee she said "Gomenasai, I was too lost in the movie. Yeah it was a great movie. I loved it!" "Ahh, I loved the little girl, Mari chan. She was simply exceptional" he said with glee. "Yeah. She was really sweet and lovely" said Inami whilst nodding her head. "Plus she was so insanely cute" he added

 _"Ahh! Naruhodo. Geiin wa sore ka?" (Oh! I see. So that's the reason why you wanted to watch this movie in the first place!)_ She thought with a smile on her face and a bead of sweat appearing on her forehead.

As they walked out of the movie theatre and down the plaza, Takanashi kept on talking about the movie while Inami just kept on thinking about stepping forward in their relationship.

 _"I wonder if I can hold hands like the couple in the movie…"_

 _"I wonder if I can be expressive like the couple in the movie…"_

 _"I wonder if I can ki-",_ she thought as she felt her lips and blushed hard when she came to a halt, tugging her boyfriend's jacket while he stopped and asked her "What's the matter, Inami san? Was the movie not good or am I blabbering away too much. I'm really sorry it's…" as he continued, Inami interrupted "No. it's not that" she said as she avoided looking into Takanashi's eyes and blushed hard. "Then what is it?" he asked "You can be completely frank with me, Inami san. But if you don't want to…" he added looking away "No. it's just that I was thinking how awesome their love was. It's just that…."

"It's just that…." he asked

"It's just that…." she said without looking straight into her boyfriend's eyes "It's just that I wish we could hold hands like the others" to which her boyfriend held her hands up and said-

"Like this?"

"No, not like this" she blushed and gestured to another couple walking intimately on the other side of the street.

"Ahh" he saw and added "But you see, don't you think it's better to take one step at a time" to which he stepped in beside her and softly grabbed her hand to which she felt like butterflies were flying in her stomach. "Calm down, Inami san" said Takanashi. "Now why are you crying?" he asked. "No, I'm not" she said wiping a tear and added "It's just that I'm so happy that I have such a cool boyfriend." The smile that Inami gave was enough to make Takanashi weak in his knees and blush wildly as he thought _"Ah, she's so innocently cute that she could kill me with her looks and the best part is she doesn't even notice it!_ " "Anyway" he said clearing his throat "It's best to get going now. It's getting late anyway. You don't want your dad to worry about you. Right?" he added like a worried guardian. She nodded her head, held onto his hand and followed him through the flurry of people walking across the streets in the early hours of the vivacious evening.


	2. Matsurigoto

The next day while wiping the floor near the floor near the counter area of the family restaurant where she was working part-time, the orange-haired waitress was continuously lost in her thoughts and was thinking if she could make any, if but none, progress in her relationship. " _I guess not"_ she sighed and murmured to herself which prompted her tiny but big-bosomed colleague and friend, Popura to ask her "What's the matter, Inami san?" "Oh it's nothing" she replied with a smile and added "It's just that I want to move ahead in life but there are times I don't know what to do"

"Is it about Katanashi kun" she asked sweetly to which Inami just nodded her head.

"It's just that I wish I didn't have this androphobia. Maybe that's why he's scared and…" as she was about to continue, the blond, handsome head chef of Wagnaria, Jun Satou, interrupted "It's not like that" to which Inami shrieked in shock "Awaa! Satou Kun, you were here, I was seriously surprised!" Without being perturbed Satou continued "Obviously I'm cooking here and can hear anything going on in the counter. Calm down Inami."

"I'm sorry Satou Kun. I'm alright. But what do you mean?" she asked with a hand on her cheek

"I mean Takanashi isn't scared of you. In fact he told me the other day how it was better that you didn't get close to other men as not all but some of them could be really harmful or dangerous. It's just that he cares for you and simply wants to protect you" replied Satou while frying the steak.

"He really said that" she asked with her eyes widened like a lost puppy.

"Yes and he also went on to say how much he considered you special but at the same time since it's his first, how should I put it…" said the blond chef as he added oil to a larger wok "Maybe he's just trying to figure out what's best for you as well as for him."

"Hontou ni arigatou, Satou kun (Thank you really! Satou kun)" said Inami as she bowed her head to the chef with her heart embroiled in feelings of love, excitement and embarrassment

II

It was break time. The atmosphere was lively with the waitresses of Wagnaria chatting away in the break room. While the male staff were working off, the female staff were taking a tea break. "Ain't it just great!" commented the lazy slacker, Aoi as she glanced through the photos of a pia. Among the chitter-chatter, Popura looked at Aoi and asked "What's great?"

"This" replied Aoi pointing at the photograph of an upcoming local summer festival. "It would be great if we could go" she added. "But we don't have any off days right Yachiyo san?" asked Popura

"I don't think we get any common days off" said Yachiyo placing her hand on her left cheek. "But I could ask Kyoko san if she could give us any off days. I'm sure…" continued the pretty almond haired girl only to be interrupted by Popura as she said "It's ok Yachiyo san. It would be nice if we could go together. But I don't think it would be nice to trouble Kyoko san just for fun's sake"

"Yes, I believe so too, Taneshima san" added Inami.

"Minna" said Yachiyo

"Anyway" said Popura taking a sip into her tea cup and added "If we get an off during golden week, we could go out together. Right?"

"Yeah. Can't we Yachiyo san?" said Aoi

"Um. That would be an awesome idea" said Yachiyo as she nodded her head in an agreement.

As Inami took a sip from her tea cup, she glanced through the pia thinking of the possibility of going out together with Takanashi.

III

Evening had set upon Wagnaria and the clocks were set upon the rush hours of the family restaurant. While Takanashi was busy waiting around and serving, Inami was either pouring coffee or tea onto the cups or preparing the parfait or mock tails and waiting for either Takanashi or Popura to return to serve the orders to the customers. Just as she was preparing a parfait which was to be served by Aoi, a loud crashing sound came from outside to which Popura, Satou and Takanashi exclaimed "What was that?" Yachiyo rushed in from the front counter and said "I'll go and see what just happened" and rushed to the back exit to check out the situation.

After sometime, Kyoko, Yachiyo along with Satou and the wily sous chef, Souma appeared together in the lobby way where Inami, Takanashi, Popura and Aoi stood tensed near the break room.

"Yeah I understand" said Kyoko as she hung up on the call. "What's the matter Kyoko san?" asked Yachiyo. "Apparently" she replied and continued while munching on a senbei "the restaurant will be closed from afternoon 2 p.m. onwards because the second water pipe required for the kitchen broke down and if we don't fix it, then the day after the kitchen won't remain in working condition. So since the first pipe is working, we can keep the kitchen open till 1 p.m. The repairing guys won't be able to make it before 1.30 p.m. So the restaurant will be open in the morning and day hours but will be closed by 1.00 p.m."

"That means we get an off in the evening" said Aoi with an optimistic look on her face.

"Uh…Yeah" replied the manager of Wagnaria

"Then why don't we go to the festival tomorrow evening?" asked Aoi flashing out the photos of the local festival in the pia.

"That's a great idea" said Yachiyo with a smiling face and asked "Isn't it Satou kun, Kyoko san?"

"Hmm" said Kyoko taking another bite into the Japanese rice cracker.

"Not bad" added Satou with a ladle in his hand

"Then it's fixed" said Popura

"What's fixed?" asked Takanashi who just arrived at the scene after handing out an order. "Since we're having an off from afternoon onwards tomorrow, we're going to the festival in the evening" replied Aoi with starry-eyed gaze on her face.

"…".

"Will you be free tomorrow Katanashi Kun? Inami san?" asked Popura

"Yes, Why not?" he said with a smile

Blushing hard while covering her face with a menu card, Inami replied "I'm free tomorrow evening. I don't think I have any plans." "Well then, its fixed we're going to meet at the festival tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. said Popura with enthusiasm. "Wait, but what about the yukata?" asked Aoi and added "I don't think my mother will be around tomorrow. I wonder what should I do?" "You can always wear casuals' right?" said Souma. "No wait!" retorted Yachiyo "I think I have an old yukata back from high school days which might fit you right. I'll bring it during the day tomorrow." "Thank you so much, Yachiyo san. You're an angel" said Aoi hugging onto Yachiyo like a child.

"You're coming over too, right? Souma Onii chan?" asked Aoi with a puppy dog look in her eyes.

"What choice do I have?" replied Souma shrugging off his shoulders. _"Besides I'll get a chance to take voyeur shots or catching our leading couples in action"***_ he thought smiling like a Cheshire cat from ear to ear to which the head chef next to the sous chef retorted with a pan in his hand "Oi Souma, you'd better not be getting any crappy ideas in your head" said Satou with a murderous expression on his face and added "Otherwise you'll find yourself in a hospital bed tomorrow evening instead of a festival!"

"It's a joke. It's a joke" replied the blue-haired sous chef with sweat running down his face.

(***Author's note: This man is really like a distant twin of Orihara Izaya!)

[P.S- I'm sorry I'm not continuing with my last fanfic "a hell of a night" becoz I was busy studying for civil services and public services examination, which I passed a few months back. Let's see if I can watch the Kamiya starrer City hunter (for all those DGS fans, btw it's not hiroshi kamiya but akira kamiya) 2 start writing again]


	3. The First

The First

 _Kanzashi: a floral hair pin worn originally by geishas_

 _Wagashi: Japanese sweets_

 _Takoyaki: fried octopus balls_

 _Pia: a Japanese magazine detailing upcoming events like concerts, festivals etc._

 _Omamori: lucky charms sold mainly at shrines in Japan_

 _Tomosode/furisode: types of kimonos/ yukatas with long or short sleeves_

 _Geta: Japanese slippers_

Inami took a quick look at the mirror one last time before adjusting the _kanzashi_ or floral hair pin on her hair. "I wonder if I looking bad?" she thought when her mother knocked on the door while calling for her "Mahiru, you're friends are already downstairs". "Yeah mom. I'm coming down already" she said as she grabbed her purse and rushed down the stairs in her lemon-coloured yukata with rose prints. "I'm sorry I took so long" said Inami shyly while adjusting her front bangs.

"It's ok Inami san" replied Popura.

"You're looking really pretty, Inami san. I'm sure Takanashi san will really love it" said Aoi who donned a light rosy red yukata with floral prints and a deeper red obi. "Really" said Inami as she looked at Popura who donned a cerulean hued yukata with large lily prints and an olive green obi. "You're looking cute as a doll Taneshima san. And you're looking really elegant today with your hair tied up, Yamada san" said Inami.

"Seriously? Thank you" replied Popura with a smug smile on her face.

"I think we should be going, right?" said Aoi looking at her time on her cell phone.

"Yes, let's get going together" agreed Popura and Inami together. "Mom, I'm off" said Inami. "We'll be off Inami san" referring to Mahiru's mother while bowing and taking their leave. "Don't be late. And be careful" said Inami's mother.

As they walked towards the shrine where the festival was held Inami asked "Where are we supposed to meet Yachiyo and Kyoko and where the others meet us?" "I know that Kyoko san and Yachiyo san will be waiting for us at the Shiraishi cycling bridge. And the others will be waiting for us at base of the shrine" said Popura.

At the Shiraishi cycling bridge they saw the pretty Yachiyo who donned a lilac yukata with gentian prints waving her hand across the throng of people heading towards the festival. "Oi, I'm here you guys!" said Yachiyo as she called out to them. "Yachiyo san!" exclaimed all three together as they headed towards her. "Wow! You're looking really pretty" said Popura. "I love your hairstyle, Yachiyo san" said Aoi and Inami in unison. "Thank you" replied Yachiyo while adjusting her bun. "All of you are looking really pretty today and…" before she could complete her sentence, Popura interrupted. "Where's Kyoko san?" she asked. "Ah, she's having a food hangover from last night's super binge and is down with a headache. So she told me she'll be sleeping and asked me bring a lot of wagashi from the festival" replied Yachiyo with a smile on her face. "Ah, is it? That's sad. I hope she recovers soon" said Popura. "Well she took her medicines on her time" said Yachiyo. "Anyway I think we should be moving ahead and onwards to the festival. Otherwise, we'll miss the fireworks" reminded Aoi with an impatient look on her face. "Ahh, let's do so" said Yachiyo as they moved towards the shrine together.

II

At the foot of the shrine, they met the boys of Wagnaria waiting for them and together they began ascending towards the shrine. "I'm sorry, I'm late, Takanashi Kun" said a very fidgeting Inami. "It's ok, calm down. You're not late. We just got here a few minutes before you guys arrived" replied Takanashi trying to calm down his girlfriend.

 _"I wish she would stop getting all worked up. But then she's looking really cute today. Both Yachiyo san as well as senpai are looking simply elegant. Women sure look pretty when they dress up!"_ thought Takanashi. "Tenchou isn't with you?" asked Satou with his usual deadpan facial expression. "Unfortunately she's not feeling very well. So she's sleeping" replied Yachiyo in a soft tone. "Ahh so?" replied Satou to which the blue-haired wily sous chef butted in with an "I'm so glad for you, Satou kun". Smiling like a cheshire cat from ear to ear he added "Now you can all…" but before he could complete, he was knocked on the head by a glaring Satou. "Knock it off" he said. "Satou kun, could we buy sweets later on?" asked Yachiyo as she locked her arm onto his. "Yeah, sure" replied Satou as they reached the festival.

III

"Yes! I caught four goldfishes" said Aoi feeling like an Olympian. "I'm nearly out of my five yen coins but I didn't get any" said Popura with a glum expression on her face. "Me, neither" added Inami.

"Maybe it's because your hand is too short that you can't catch any fishes" joked Satou. "What do you mean? I'm not that tiny!" fumed Popura. "Oh really, I thought you were tinier than these goldfishes" said Satou as he randomly changed Popura's hairstyle while she continued fuming at him. "Mo, Satou kun you shouldn't bully her like that!" said Yachiyo pointing a finger like a teacher. "Ah so!" replied Satou feeling like a schoolboy who received a chiding from his teacher. _"Ah, not this again!"_ thought Takanashi, Aoi and Inami in unison while Souma captured all the action with his smartphone camera.

"Senpai, if you're having problems catching goldfishes then maybe I can lend you a hand" said Takanashi. "Really?" asked a starry eyed Popura. "Hm" nodded Takanashi. "Thank you Katanashi kun" said Popura.

After trying for around half an hour, Takanashi and Popura were able to catch about three goldfishes for 50 yen. "Sorry, Katanashi kun, I'll pay you back tomorrow" replied Popura. "It's ok senpai. You don't have to pay me" replied Takanashi with a smile.

They spent about half an hour eating takoyaki and candied apples in the food stalls before trying different types of games in the games arena. "Satou kun, could we go to that _wagashi_ counter over there?" asked Yachiyo pointing to a taiyaki counter. "Yeah sure. Why not?" said Satou. "Well, we'll be heading to the sweets counters over there. Let's meet at the fireworks ground within an hour" said Yachiyo.

"Yeah" replied Popura, Aoi, Takanashi and Inami in unison.

"Should I bring something for you guys?" asked the conniving Souma. "Wait! Where are you going?" asked Satou with a dark look on his face as he grabbed Souma on the shoulder.

"Why with you of course!" replied Souma with his signature feline smile.

*Smack*

"Oww! _Hidoi yo, Satou kun_ "

" _Nice going!"_ gestured Takanashi with a thumbs up. "You deserve that! Come on now, let's get going Souma san" said Takanashi. "Anyway, if you're in some trouble then give me a ring" said Satou as he left with Yachiyo.

IV

After roaming for about ten minutes together, Inami noticed an _omamori_ sale near the inner courtyard of the shrine to which she stopped walking while tugging at Takanashi's navy blue _tomosode_. "What's the matter, Inami san?" asked Takanashi. "Ano, would it be a problem if we could go there?" said Inami while pointing at the courtyard. "Actually I want to buy charms for all of us" she added blushing. " _Ahh. She looks so damn cute when she blushes that way!"_ though Takanashi. "What should we do?" asked Takanashi. "It's ok. It's quite crowded over there. We'll be heading towards the fireworks site. You can find us there" replied Popura.

"Should I help you guys?" said Souma with an over enthusiastic smile. "Mo! Souma Onii san" said Aoi with puppy dog eyes as she clung onto Souma's grey _furisode_ with white crane designs and added "Don't tell me you'll leave us girls all alone." "Yeah! That's what! I guess we should be going too" said Takanashi as he held onto Inami's hand and headed off towards the inner courtyard. "Anyway, see ya at the fireworks ground" said Inami as she waved her hand and left for the courtyard.

V

On reaching the inner courtyard, they were surrounded by tsunami of couples, friends and family members fighting across the swollen courtyard to buy the lucky charms. "What should we do? It's too crowded here" asked Inami confused. "It's ok. Just hold onto my hand. Everything will be fine" replied Takanashi with a smile.

They moved and struggled to break through the humongous human chain "….Ouch" said Inami hurting her foot. "Just don't let go. We're almost there" said Takanashi. After struggling through for nearly ten minutes they made to the counter lucky enough to buy the last ones.

"Which one do you want, Inami san?" asked Takanashi.

"Umm… I'll take one for health, education and…"

"And?"

"That one" replied a beet red Inami with her eyes on the ground and pointing towards a charm with the kanji of heart written on it.

"Please give me those two and these three" he said pointing at the charms.

" _Kashikomarimashita*_ " replied the young _miko_ at the counter

*it's an expression which means we will be serving you shortly

"Ah… it's ok, I don't need so many of them" said Inami. "It's ok, don't mind. It's no harm if we buy a few extra" said Takanashi fishing out the money from his wallet.

"Thank you" he said to the _miko_ as she handed him the charms and replied with a " _Maido ari*"_

*An expression which means please come visit again.

She grabbed her beloved's aquamarine _tomosode_ to swim through the crowds. They managed to get out of the crowds and as they were going back to the fireworks ground, Inami's _geta_ bit the dust and she sat down trying to fix her _geta_. "What's the matter?" he asked. "My _geta_ " she replied.

"Can you walk?" asked Takanashi offering her a hand to stand up.

"Yeah I can but…" she said as she stood up and held his hand.

"Wait! Place your hand on my shoulder like this and then let me grab your waist like this" he said gesturing her where to place her hand.

"Aieee"

"Calm down, Inami san. We have to make it to a place where we can sit down" he said trying to calm his girlfriend down. "Hm, I'm sorry, I understand that. But you see I'm not used to this" she said. "It's ok. I'm sorry too. But this is the only way" he replied with a smile. "It's ok. Let's go" she said. After walking at a sluggish pace for another fifteen minutes, they arrived at the western gate of the shrine's footsteps. This gate was closed to public entry and offered a view into the fireworks ground.

"Inami san, let's sit down here" said Takanashi gesturing at the footsteps to which she sat down. "Are you tired? Should I get some water?" he asked to which she started shedding tears. "What's the matter now? Why are you crying? Did I do anything wrong?" he asked surprised. "No" she replied wiping her tears "It's just that we were to meet our friends. And here I am, with my _geta_ straps in my hand. It's my fault that you couldn't enjoy the fireworks display, Takanashi kun" said Inami in a sniffling tone.

"It's not your fault" he said and added "The fact that your _geta_ withstood that crowd shows how tardy it must be. So don't be sad and don't cry"

"Really"

"Yes, really" he said handing her a handkerchief. But she still kept on shedding tears while smiling at the same time.

"Now why are you still crying?" he asked

"It's just that I'm so happy. I'm really thankful to have someone like you beside me"

He stared at her in awe and blushed hard. "I think I wouldn't have been able to come this far without you, Takanashi kun" she continued "I think I want these days to continue forever. I hope to keep on…" she said as she gazed at the starry sky. "To keep on?" he asked. "To keep on... to keep on…loving you forever" she said as she made an effort and hugged onto her boyfriend.

Takanashi blushed in awe and shock combined together but soon got a hold of himself. He then unlocked himself from the embrace, held onto her shoulder and smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" an embarrassed Inami replied. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry" she continued sniffling. "No, don't cry" he said softly stroking her cheek. "I'm really sorry" she continued "I just…"

"Hush" he said as he slowly closed the gap them and placed his lips on hers. It was a soft chaste kiss. No more, no less.

 _"Ah, so this is how a kiss feels like"_ she thought. " _This is my first kiss"_ thought the both of them in unison, while the fireworks display continued in full galore.

VI

In the background as the fireworks display continued, a group of people were searching for Takanashi and Inami. "Satou kun, I think there… they are…" said Yachiyo as discovered Takanashi and Inami in a lovers embrace and soon after turned beet red.

"This calls for a good…" said Souma as he flipped out his smartphone to capture the moment.

"Stop it!" said Satou as he confiscated Souma's phone and added "Let's go Yachiyo" as he whisked away an intrigued Souma and an embarrassed Yachiyo away.

From a distance the voices of Popura and Aoi could be heard. "Satou san, have you found them?" asked Aoi innocently. "No!" he lied and added "I think they must on the eastern gate" replied Satou while walking.

"Oh"

"What's the matter with Yachiyo san? And Souma san's face looks as if he just saw Buddha" asked Aoi noticing a flushed Yachiyo and a transient Souma. "Ah, Yachiyo hasn't been feeling very well after all that walking and Souma is simply enjoying the quietude of the atmosphere here"

"Then maybe we could sit over there" said Aoi pointing at the footsteps of the western gate.

"Maybe we should go to the ramen stalls. I heard the ramen there is really delicious" suggested Satou. "Yeah we should do that" replied Yachiyo.

 _"Ignoring me!"_ thought Aoi.

Popura who made a latest entry asked on noticing the others "What's the matter all of you?" to which the trio replied in unison

"Nothing at all"


End file.
